VALIDATION METHOD AND SYSTEM
A validation method and system. The method includes receiving, by a computing system, accounting data and an associated purchasing document. The computing system receives a request for validating the accounting data. The computing system determines a purchasing scenario associated with the purchasing document. The computing system receives a configuration table and validation algorithms. The configuration table comprises accounting elements each comprising parameters. The computing system selects relevant accounting elements from the configuration table. The computing system selects relevant algorithms of the validation algorithms. The computing system executes each relevant algorithm of the validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of the parameters. The computing system generates validation statuses for the relevant accounting elements. The computing system transmits validation statuses to a calling system.
The present invention relates to a method and associated system for validating statuses for accounting elements.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDetermining that input data comprises acceptable data typically comprises a complicated and inefficient process with little flexibility. A user requesting the input data may not have the ability to associate the input data with purchasing information. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome at least some of the deficiencies and limitations described herein above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a validation method comprising:
receiving, by a computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
receiving; by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and
transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
The present invention provides a computing system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the processor implement a validation method, said method comprising:
receiving, by said computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
receiving, by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and
transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
The present invention provides a computer program product, comprising a computer readable medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to implement a validation method within a computing system comprising a computer-readable memory unit, said method comprising:
receiving, by said computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
receiving, by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and
transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
The present invention provides process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system comprising a computer-readable memory unit, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a validation method, said method comprising:
receiving, by said computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
receiving, by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
The present invention advantageously provides a simple method and associated system capable of determining that input data comprises acceptable data.
System 2 is used for validating statuses for accounting elements using the following steps:
1. A request for validation (i.e., of accounting elements) is transmitted to computing system 10. The request is generated by a calling application (i.e., calling system 8). The calling application transmits a web service call and a generic accounting document to computing system 10. The generic accounting document comprises accounting elements, a corporation ID, a document type, and a purpose code.
2. A purchasing scenario is determined. The purchasing scenario is a multi-element delimited key made up of a corporation ID, a document type, a purchase type, a dependent entity, a country, and a company. Computing system 10 extracts a purchase type (e.g., expense, resale, capital, etc.), a country, and a company from a generic accounting document which was transmitted during the web service call.
3. Validation rules are retrieved. Computing system uses a right-to-left wild carded best fit mechanism for comparing the purchasing scenario to a configuration table (e.g., a spreadsheet) of relevant accounting elements. A list of matches is extracted from this table and associated validation algorithms and parameters are processed. Each accounting element is treated as an independent entity so therefore pseudo accounting elements are used to specify relationships between elements. For example, during an expense purchase (i.e., when a purchase is being made against pre-paid expenses), a user is required to enter amortization start and end dates. (e.g., codes ASTRT and AEND in the spreadsheet of
A. A value is specified if required
B. A date is not too far into the past
C. A date is not too far into the future.
Additionally, a business rule is used that specifies that the two dates may not be more than three years apart. Since the validation rules are order less and independent, the user may not check the relationship between the two dates while validating either date, since the user is unaware if the other date has been validated yet. Therefore, a pseudo accounting element (e.g., ADATES in the spreadsheet of
4. Validation algorithms are retrieved. Computing system 10 comprises a complete set of actual and pseudo accounting elements. Therefore, computing system 10 may call each associated validation algorithm without any type of ordering. Parameters specified in the configuration table are passed into each algorithm. A relationship between dates may be validated before the dates' associated individual values are validated. For example, the dates may be within three years of each other (i.e., valid) but the start date is too far into the past. In this case, ADATES will validate but ASTRT will throw an error back to the caller.
5. A validation status for each accounting element is returned to calling system 8. Calling system 8 may receive a response of yes, no, or a list of errors.
1. Corporation identification 304.
2. Document type code 306.
3. Purchasing type code 308.
4. Accounting purpose code 310.
5. Country code 312.
6. Company code 314.
7. A dependant corporation identifier 318.
ENTITY_KEY_TEXT 302 comprises an alternate means for identifying a specific purchasing scenario, ENTITY_KEY_TEXT 302 simplifies an algorithm used to find the purchasing scenario which applies to the purchasing document. In the example illustrated in
1. ENTITY_KEY_TXT 410 comprises a character string naming a specific purchase scenario.
2. ACCTET_CD 412 (i.e., accounting element type) captures an abbreviated name for an accounting attribute. For example, an account number (GLAC), a cost center identifier (CGDP), an amortization start date (ASTRT), a related set of accounting attributes, etc. A pair of amortization dates (ADATES) that bound the start and end dates (ASTRT and AEND respectively) for a period during which items are amortized is an example of a related set of accounting attributes.
3. RACCTET_VALGO_NM 414 (i.e., a validation algorithm) is used to name a piece of application code comprising an algorithm used specifically for validating accounting element types. The validation may be performed as accounting data is being entered by an end-user of software application 18 or as an independent step after accounting data is entered.
4. RACCTET_VPARM_TXT 418 (i.e., an associated validation algorithm parameter string) provides a means to tailor the behavior of the algorithm to meet the specific needs of the validation process within the context of the purchasing scenario. For example, AmortDates algorithm in one purchasing scenario may be mandatory and allow a difference between the start and end dates of five years, while for another scenario the dates are optional and the maximum time period is three years.
Still yet, any of the components of the present invention could be created, integrated, hosted, maintained, deployed, managed, serviced, etc. by a service provider who offers to validate statuses for accounting elements. Thus the present invention discloses a process for deploying, creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and/or integrating computing infrastructure, comprising integrating computer-readable code into the computer system 90, wherein the code in combination with the computer system 90 is capable of performing a method for validating statuses for accounting elements. In another embodiment, the invention provides a business method that performs the process steps of the invention on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis. That is, a service provider, such as a Solution Integrator, could offer to validate statuses for accounting elements. In this case, the service provider can create, maintain, support, etc. a computer infrastructure that performs the process steps of the invention for one or more customers. In return, the service provider can receive payment from the customer(s) under a subscription and/or fee agreement and/or the service provider can receive payment from the sale of advertising content to one or more third parties.
While
While embodiments of the present invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, many modifications and changes will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.
Claims
1. A validation method comprising:
- receiving, by a computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
- determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
- generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and
- transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said pseudo accounting elements are associated with said relevant accounting elements, wherein said pseudo accounting elements comprise relationships between sets of relevant accounting elements of said relevant accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said pseudo algorithms are associated with said sets of relevant accounting elements; and
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters, wherein said generating said validation statuses is based on said executing each said algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said relevant accounting elements each comprise an associated identification code in said configuration file.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said purchasing scenario comprises a multi-element delimited key comprising an ID for an entity, a document type, a purchase type, a dependent entity, and a specified country.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said executing each said algorithm of said validation algorithms is performed in a random order.
6. A computing system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the processor implement a validation method, said method comprising:
- receiving, by said computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
- determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
- generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and
- transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
7. The computing system of claim 6, wherein said method further comprises:
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said pseudo accounting elements are associated with said relevant accounting elements, wherein said pseudo accounting elements comprise relationships between sets of relevant accounting elements of said relevant accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said pseudo algorithms are associated with said sets of relevant accounting elements; and
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters, wherein said generating said validation statuses is based on said executing each said algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters.
8. The computing system of claim 6, wherein said relevant accounting elements each comprise an associated identification code in said configuration file.
9. The computing system of claim 6, wherein said purchasing scenario comprises a multi-element delimited key comprising an ID for an entity, a document type, a purchase type, a dependent entity, and a specified country.
10. The computing system of claim 6, wherein said executing each said algorithm of said validation algorithms is performed in a random order.
11. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable medium comprising a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to implement a validation method within a computing system comprising a computer-readable memory unit, said method comprising:
- receiving, by said computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
- determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
- generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and
- transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said method further comprises:
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said pseudo accounting elements are associated with said relevant accounting elements, wherein said pseudo accounting elements comprise relationships between sets of relevant accounting elements of said relevant accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said pseudo algorithms are associated with said sets of relevant accounting elements; and
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters, wherein said generating said validation statuses is based on said executing each said algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters.
13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said relevant accounting elements each comprise an associated identification code in said configuration file.
14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said purchasing scenario comprises a multi-element delimited key comprising an ID for an entity, a document type, a purchase type, a dependent entity, and a specified country.
15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said executing each said algorithm of said validation algorithms is performed in a random order.
16. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system comprising a computer-readable memory unit, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing a validation method, said method comprising:
- receiving, by said computing system, accounting data and a purchasing document, wherein said accounting data is associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system from a calling system, a request for validating said accounting data;
- determining, by said computing system based on said request, a purchasing scenario associated with said purchasing document;
- receiving, by said computing system, a configuration table and validation algorithms, wherein said configuration table comprises accounting elements, wherein each accounting element of said accounting elements comprises parameters, and wherein said validation algorithms comprise rules associated with said accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said relevant accounting elements are associated with said purchasing scenario;
- selecting, by said computing system, relevant algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said relevant algorithms are associated with said relevant accounting elements;
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said validation algorithms on an associated set of parameters of said parameters;
- generating, by said computing system in response to said executing, validation statuses for said relevant accounting elements comprising each said associated set of parameters; and
- transmitting, by said computing system to said calling system, said validation statuses.
17. The process of claim 16, wherein said method further comprises:
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo accounting elements from said configuration table, wherein said pseudo accounting elements are associated with said relevant accounting elements, wherein said pseudo accounting elements comprise relationships between sets of relevant accounting elements of said relevant accounting elements;
- selecting, by said computing system, pseudo algorithms of said validation algorithms, wherein said pseudo algorithms are associated with said sets of relevant accounting elements; and
- executing, by said computing system, each algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters, wherein said generating said validation statuses is based on said executing each said algorithm of said pseudo algorithms on an associated set of pseudo parameters of said parameters.
18. The process of claim 16, wherein said relevant accounting elements each comprise an associated identification code in said configuration file.
19. The process of claim 16, wherein said purchasing scenario comprises a multi-element delimited key comprising an ID for an entity, a document type, a purchase type, a dependent entity, and a specified country.
20. The process of claim 16, wherein said executing each said algorithm of said validation algorithms is performed in a random order.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 10, 2008
Publication Date: Jun 10, 2010
Inventors: Charles Franklin Berry (Apalachin, NY), Glenn C. Godoy (Endwell, NY), Amy Jeanne Snavely (Binghamton, NY)
Application Number: 12/331,482
International Classification: G06Q 10/00 (20060101); G06Q 30/00 (20060101);